Inhalant Use Disorder

Volatile hydrocarbons, such as toluene, n-hexane, and butane, are widely misused for their psychoactive effects. Inhalant misuse is particularly prevalent among adolescents, the impoverished, and persons living in rural environs, perhaps because these intoxicants are inexpensive, are readily available, and pose little risk of detection. Literally hundreds of commercial products containing volatile hydrocarbons are sold without restriction in hardware, business supplies, and grocery stores.

Inhalant users are at risk for a host of medical maladies and adverse social outcomes. If inhalant use is recurrent, leads to functional impairments and/or psychic distress, and is associated with a syndrome of specific signs and symptoms reflective of a problematic pattern of use, a user may be diagnosed with an inhalant use disorder (IUD). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles